Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipes + Cheese | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/hughfearnleywhittingstallonfood+cheese
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Sharp practice: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's winter leaf recipeshttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/dec/06/winter-salad-leaves-recipes-whittingstall
Pep up your winter cooking with some peppery, bitter leaves<p>It's very easy, when doing a&nbsp;spot of shopping on a&nbsp;cold, dank day, to load up with hearty ingredients with a view to filling bellies and warming cockles. But reserve a space for some leaves, too; great sheaves of them, if possible: crisp, colourful and tart. You'll thank yourself later on.</p><p>There's a phalanx of sharp, bitter, peppery leaves that thrive in winter, to be prized for their raw, vitamin goodness and for the snappy, juicy contrast they offer to seasonal comfort food. They'll wake up your tastebuds and refresh your repertoire, be that in vibrant salads or combined with more sumptuous fare, to lift and lighten it.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/dec/06/winter-salad-leaves-recipes-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>Food & drinkLife and styleSaladSnacksCheeseMain coursePastaFishSide dishSandwichesFri, 06 Dec 2013 21:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/dec/06/winter-salad-leaves-recipes-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's radicchio toastie: 'Radicchio works brilliantly with soft, salty and creamy flavours'. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's radicchio toastie: 'Radicchio works brilliantly with soft, salty and creamy flavours'. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2013-12-06T21:00:00ZBerry peculiar: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's strawberry recipeshttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/14/strawberry-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
There's always something new you can do with a strawberry, and not just in puddings, either<p>I made a strawberry pizza the&nbsp;other night, on a whim, and it was surprisingly good. It wasn't a puddingy, jammy-sweet pseudo-pizza, but a thin-crusted, charred-edged, savoury one. Besides strawbs, it had cherry tomatoes (their flavour profile is on the same spectrum as the strawberry's, a little more towards the savoury/umami end of&nbsp;it, so the two go well together), sweated-down onions (which matched the berries' sweetness), salty olives and creamy mozzarella, which provided a perfect counterpoint. It was all very harmonious – and gorgeous to look at.</p><p>This culinary coup proves that there's always something new you can do with strawberries. While I'm more than happy to enjoy these summer treats in classic ways – doused in cream, mingled with meringue, snuggled up with shortbread – it's gratifying to find a&nbsp;new way to dress an old favourite.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/14/strawberry-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>Food & drinkMain courseDessertSaladPastaCheeseFruitLife and styleFri, 14 Jun 2013 20:00:04 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/14/strawberry-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's strawberry & avocado salad: 'Gentle, rich and velvety.' Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's strawberry & avocado salad: 'Gentle, rich and velvety.' Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2013-06-14T20:00:04ZCurd processor: recipes for British cheeses | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/apr/12/british-cheese-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall
You could eat a different British cheese every day of the year, and never be disappointed<p>It's mind-boggling how we use one basic foodstuff – milk – to produce everything from the crystalline rock face of a slab of parmesan to the silken ooze of a velvet-rinded vacherin. Cheese is perhaps the best example we have of the way the alchemy of time, place and technique can transform ingredients in a thousand ways; of how food is often the ultimate expression of tradition, environment and culture.</p><p>Much as I love the continental greats – the roqueforts, gruyères and mozzarella di bufalas – it's the leaps and bounds British cheeses have taken in recent years that really excite me. There are hundreds of fabulous cheeses being made on our grassy little island now – you could eat a different one every day of the year, and the year after that, and never be disappointed. You may not know the names of most of these great products, but in a way that's part of the success story: cheese is often truly local, nestling neatly into just the very nook of the land in&nbsp;which it's made.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/apr/12/british-cheese-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>Food & drinkCheeseMain courseSnacksSaladLife and styleFri, 12 Apr 2013 20:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/apr/12/british-cheese-recipes-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittinstall's blue cheese, red onion and walnut focaccia: Use your own favourite cheese in the mix. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittinstall's blue cheese, red onion and walnut focaccia: Use your own favourite cheese in the mix. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2013-04-12T20:00:00ZPurple patch: purple sprouting broccoli recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/mar/01/purple-sprouting-broccoli-recipes
At this time of year, when we're tired of carrots, spuds and parsnips, and crying out for some fresh green veg, thank heavens for purple sprouting broccoli<p>In a couple of months, chefs, foodies and veg gardeners will be getting very excited about asparagus. As it thrusts its first tender, sweet green spears skywards, we'll reach for the butter, poach eggs and whip up delicate sauces to anoint this most revered of vegetables in ever more delicious ways.</p><p>What we must not do, however, as&nbsp;we wait for that wonderful May crop, is overlook another vegetable that shares not just the basic shape of asparagus, but its appeal, too – and that, with enormous vegetal generosity, makes itself available at precisely the time when tender, sweet green stuff is very thin on the ground. This plant offers us a little bit of verdant, leafy evidence that there is some divine plan governing the universe – or, at least, the veg plot. Ask – for some fresh green veg when you're a bit tired of carrots, parsnips, onions and potatoes – and it shall be given. Even&nbsp;the name is rather marvellous: pur-ple-sprou-ting-broc-co-li. Seven sumptuous syllables: you've got yourself the second line of a haiku right there.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/mar/01/purple-sprouting-broccoli-recipes">Continue reading...</a>Food & drinkMain courseSaladSide dishCheesePastaLife and styleFri, 01 Mar 2013 21:00:02 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/mar/01/purple-sprouting-broccoli-recipesPhotograph: Colin Campbell/GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s purple sprouting broccoli gratin recipe: 'a luscious starter'. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell/GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s purple sprouting broccoli gratin recipe: 'a luscious starter'. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2013-03-01T21:00:02ZChard recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/aug/24/chard-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
Chard's a powerhouse of nutty, green-leaf flavour, and it's at its best right now<p>For flamboyance, lush greenness and leafy generosity, it's hard to beat chard. A great fistful is a vegetable bouquet, a gift worth leaving piled on the kitchen table for&nbsp;a bit of admiration before you set&nbsp;to work and cook it.</p><p>It's possible to find this luscious leaf all year round, but it's at its best from July through to November; I've been tucking into my homegrown crop for a few weeks now, and should be able to keep cutting it right through the frosts and into the new year.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/aug/24/chard-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>BakingStarterMain courseSide dishIndian food and drinkVegetarian food and drinkCheeseFood & drinkLife and styleFri, 24 Aug 2012 21:59:02 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/aug/24/chard-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley Whittingstall's tourte de blettes: An unusual and delicious Nicoise recipe. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley Whittingstall's tourte de blettes: An unusual and delicious Nicoise recipe. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2012-08-24T21:59:02ZNettle recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/mar/30/nettle-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
Nettles are tasty, healthy… and free. You'd be a fool not to take advantage, really<p>If I told you that there was a&nbsp;fantastically tasty, nutritious and absolutely free foodstuff growing probably metres, and certainly no more than five minutes' walk, from where you now sit, would I pique your interest? If I&nbsp;said it was easy to cook and very versatile, might I be whetting your appetite? And if I mentioned that it beats both spinach and broccoli for vitamins and minerals, would that seal the deal?</p><p>I am talking, if you hadn't guessed, about nettles: nature's well-armoured but plentiful offering at this otherwise rather sparse time of year. Barbed and bristled and undeniably stingy as they are, these plants are nevertheless a gift to anyone who favours cooking with local, seasonal, fresh ingredients. They thrust themselves up from the&nbsp;barely warm ground as early as February (nettle soup on Valentine's Day is a tradition in our house), then&nbsp;grow with untrammelled enthusiasm (as all gardeners know) right through the spring and summer. Now is the time to bag them though: if you're going to eat nettles (and I&nbsp;totally think you should), then the fresh, young growth of March and April is the crop to go for. Pick only the tips – the first four or six leaves on each spear – and you will get the very best of the plant.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/mar/30/nettle-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>Vegetarian food and drinkSoupMain courseBakingCheeseFood & drinkLife and styleFri, 30 Mar 2012 21:59:04 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/mar/30/nettle-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's nettle soup: 'The fresh young growth of March and April is the nettle crop to go for.' Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's nettle soup: 'The fresh young growth of March and April is the nettle crop to go for.' Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2012-03-30T21:59:04ZCheesecake recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/17/cheesecake-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
From a deep, American-style number to a light, Italian-inspired variation on the theme, there's a cheesecake for every occasion<p>There is a natural food law, I believe, that is&nbsp;that most people will like most things, as long as they're prepared the right way. Once you've had something the wrong way, however, you'll take a&nbsp;lot of persuading that it can have real merit. Most beetroot haters, for instance, have been scarred by its pickled, glass-jarred form, so it takes a really lovely dish to convince them that the scar need not be for life. Roasted with garlic and thyme, then blended with good stock into a rich soup and served with a dash of creme fraiche into which you've stirred a little fresh horseradish and a soupçon of English mustard, may be the laser surgery you're looking for. It worked for me, anyway – I&nbsp;used to hate the stuff.</p><p>On the other hand, I've never had a problem with sprouts, celery, liver or the other potentially pungent foods that many people take against. But there are some things that still make me wrinkle my nose, and they tend to be under- rather than over-flavoured. Egg white, for instance: poached, boiled or fried, it's the yolk I go for, and it takes self-discipline to tidy up the wobbly strands of white left on my plate. Cream cheese is another. I'd never eat this super-smooth, white stuff on its own, but whip and bake it into a sweet pud, and my interest is piqued. In fact, as far as I'm concerned, the only real justification for cream cheese is the cheesecake. Unless it's come from a goat, it's too inoffensive, smooth and homogeneous, which draws attention to its cloying richness. But its soft, even-tempered-to-the-point-of-tedium character makes it ideal for one of those sweet, yielding, deep, American-style cheesecakes into which you can sink your fork as you would your foot in a 3ft snowdrift. Suddenly, cream cheese is bliss.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/17/cheesecake-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>DessertCakeCheeseBakingFood & drinkLife and styleFri, 17 Feb 2012 22:59:20 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/17/cheesecake-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin CampbellGinger and rhubarb cheesecake. Photographs: Colin CampbellPhotograph: Colin CampbellGinger and rhubarb cheesecake. Photographs: Colin CampbellHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2012-02-17T22:59:20ZLast-minute canapé recipes | Hugh Fearnley Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/23/last-minute-canape-recipes
When you've a crowd to keep happy, it pays to have a few bite-sized nibbles in your repertoire that you can knock up in a flash<p>In the generous spirit of the season, at some point over the next week or so there's a&nbsp;good chance you'll be called upon to serve up food and drinks to your family, friends and neighbours. I'm not talking about tomorrow's feast – though some of today's nibbles would certainly form a delicious bridge between the removal of coats, hats and questionable new scarves, and sitting down at the table for the big beast feast. Mainly, I'm thinking snacks and drinks for a&nbsp;crowd that will satisfy the masses'&nbsp;munchies, but not leave you cowering and gibbering in the kitchen like an overtaxed elf.</p><p>I'm a bit hesitant to use the word canapé. To me, it conjures up images of prissily garnished tasting spoons, shot glasses filled with suspicious foams and platters arranged with near-architectural precision – a&nbsp;little too precious and fiddly for entertaining at home. And anyway, right now, who has the time?</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/23/last-minute-canape-recipes">Continue reading...</a>SnacksVegetarian food and drinkMeatCheeseChristmasFood & drinkLife and styleFri, 23 Dec 2011 22:59:09 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/23/last-minute-canape-recipesPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's spicy pork meatballs with dipping sauce: A great little mouthful, packed full of flavour. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's spicy pork meatballs with dipping sauce: A great little mouthful, packed full of flavour. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-12-23T22:59:09ZRecipes for cooking for a crowd | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/09/favourite-recipes-crowd-fearnley-whittingstall
Some dishes seem almost designed to be fed to large numbers – here are our resident chef's favourite crowd-pleasers<p>This is the time of year when all of our good intentions come home to roost. Then they gleefully, mercilessly peck away at those promises we made ourselves so rashly and so enthusiastically only a few weeks ago. Suddenly Christmas is almost here and those saintly aspirations – to make homemade presents and cards, or to throw a party for friends and neighbours – are fading as fast. Well, it may be a&nbsp;bit late to knit your nearests-and-dearests mittens or stick it to Hallmark with a stack of seasonal potato-print cards, but it's definitely not too late to throw a great party.</p><p>Today's recipes are some of my favourite crowd-pleasing dishes. They're simple to prepare, and they double or triple up beautifully. You can make them ahead, too, and bung them in the oven when everyone arrives. While you're at it, you can even make an extra dish and tuck it into the freezer so there's something delicious to feast on in the funk between Christmas and New Year, when even the keenest of cooks can suffer from kitchen fatigue.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/09/favourite-recipes-crowd-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>MeatMain coursePastaCheeseFood & drinkLife and styleFri, 09 Dec 2011 23:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/09/favourite-recipes-crowd-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's bobotie: A South African classic combining minced lamb, spices and dried fruit. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's bobotie: A South African classic combining minced lamb, spices and dried fruit. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-12-09T23:00:00ZCaraway recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/nov/11/caraway-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
Its aniseed and citrus tones work brilliantly in savoury and sweet dishes alike, so it's really no surprise that cooks down the ages have got carried away with caraway<p>Last week, <a href="http://www.guprod.gnl/lifeandstyle/2011/nov/04/juniper-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall" title="">we cleared our heads and palates with bracing juniper</a>. This week, I'm getting carried away with caraway, that warming, earthy spice that's so delicious in everything from hefty winter stews to delicate biscuits and cakes. I love its complexity. It's robust, with a distinct, aniseedy flavour, but it also has more subtle, sweet citrus aromas. It even has a&nbsp;slightly minty note that, when combined with citrus in particular, becomes more pronounced.</p><p>In Britain, we've been sprinkling, toasting and grinding caraway for quite a while. Richard II's master cooks included a liberal sprinkling of caraway in the 14th-century cookbook <a href="http://www.fullbooks.com/The-Forme-of-Cury1.html" title="">A Forme Of Cury</a>, and in Elizabethan times cakes and biscuits containing caraway were common. At the end of meals, caraway comfits – the seeds coated in sugar – were served with spiced wine to aid digestion. We seemed to fall out of love with caraway for a bit, but with <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/albert_prince.shtml" title="">the arrival of a German consort at court</a>, the Victorians went mad for the stuff, embracing the Germanic passion for caraway in baking with just as much enthusiasm as they did&nbsp;Christmas trees.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/nov/11/caraway-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>CakeSoupCheeseSnacksStarterDessertFood & drinkLife and styleFri, 11 Nov 2011 22:59:53 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/nov/11/caraway-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's caraway and orange seed cake: Simple, and great with a cup of tea. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's caraway and orange seed cake: Simple, and great with a cup of tea. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-11-11T22:59:53ZHomemade cheese recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jul/22/homemade-cheese-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall
Cheese-making's a skill requiring lots of hard work and specialist equipment, right? Well, not exactly<p>I love cheese. Soft, hard, goaty, sheepy, blue, crumbly or creamy, tangy or&nbsp;mild, or&nbsp;seriously smelly,&nbsp;rarely a&nbsp;day goes by&nbsp;without&nbsp;me squashing some on&nbsp;a piece of bread, scattering a handful into a&nbsp;sauce or over a gratin or salad, or&nbsp;simply grabbing a&nbsp;chunk and consuming it greedily on the hoof between kitchen and garden or&nbsp;desk.</p><p>We're lucky in this country to have some of the world's finest cheesemakers producing deeply delicious, complex and sophisticated cheeses. But only a few generations ago many&nbsp;people made their own simple cheeses at home. I&nbsp;think it's a tremendous shame that&nbsp;so few attempt it now, thinking it too difficult, too complicated and&nbsp;requiring specialist equipment. It's not and it doesn't. You could probably whip up a quick batch with&nbsp;things you have in your kitchen right now. So today I'm sharing some of my favourites, from a simple curd cheese to more challenging mozzarella.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jul/22/homemade-cheese-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>CheeseVegetarian food and drinkFood & drinkLife and styleFri, 22 Jul 2011 21:59:59 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jul/22/homemade-cheese-recipes-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's rosemary yoghurt cheese: Possibly the simplest cheese you can make. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's rosemary yoghurt cheese: Possibly the simplest cheese you can make. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-07-22T21:59:59ZBay leaf recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/18/bay-leaf-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall
From meat and fish, to veg and even puddings, there's almost no end to the uses to which you can put this amazing herb<p>If there's a set of fresh ingredients that consistently punch way above their weight, and to the most delightful effect, it's herbs. The soft, leafy ones I chop by the fistful into green sauces and stuffings, or scatter loosely into salads and dressings. The more intense, stalky ones I use with a little more restraint, but with just as much enthusiasm. This week, I begin a three-week ode to some of my favourites by starting with my very favourite, bay.</p><p>There are few days when I don't use bay leaves one way or another – tucking them into the cavity of a bird or fish before roasting; stirring them into a slow-simmered stew; or&nbsp;sautéing them with onions and other chopped veg as a base for a soup. I love their pungent, sweet and spicy aroma, which is at once vibrant and comforting. In fact, whenever I pass a bay tree at home in the garden – or anywhere else, come to that – I usually grab a leaf or two, whether or not I need one, for a&nbsp;quick twist-and-sniff pick-me-up. All of which may explain why our youngest daughter Louisa's middle name is Bay – as she gets older, she may be grateful that my favourite herb wasn't savory or borage.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/18/bay-leaf-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>BakingBritish food and drinkCheeseDessertFishFrench food and drinkMain courseMeatSide dishSaladFood & drinkLife and styleSeafoodFri, 17 Jun 2011 23:03:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/18/bay-leaf-recipes-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianBay-infused custard cream - delicious on its own, or with little bowls of strawberries or raspberries. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianBay-infused custard cream - delicious on its own, or with little bowls of strawberries or raspberries. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-06-17T23:03:00ZSandwich recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/11/sandwich-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
People of Britain unite! Put an end to the misery of the chiller cabinet bought sandwich and get back to making them properly<p>Who doesn't like&nbsp;a good sandwich? And&nbsp;who likes a bad one? I&nbsp;have an uncomplicated theory about the essential difference between the two: generally, a sandwich you make&nbsp;yourself is very likely to be more enjoyable than one you buy. And it's always going to be more enjoyable than one you buy from the chill cabinet of a supermarket, cafe or fast food outlet. Refrigeration is truly the enemy of the sandwich. Who wants bread, butter and cheese at 3C?</p><p>But I feel we are making fewer sandwiches than we used to, even as&nbsp;we are buying more and more of&nbsp;them. We're buying out of convenience (laziness?), and failing to make because, when we buy, we are so often disappointed. So this week I'd like you to draw inspiration to get back into the sandwich game by recalling your happiest memories of Great Sandwiches You Have Made And Loved. For example, the one when you got back from a party in the small hours, found the remains of a roast chicken in the fridge, sawed a pair of doorsteps from the loaf, smacked them together with a&nbsp;good smear of mayonnaise, and downed the chewy-crusted, over-buttered, chicken-filled white bread with a massive cup of tea.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/11/sandwich-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>SandwichesBritish food and drinkCheeseFrench food and drinkFishMain courseSnacksVegetarian food and drinkFood & drinkLife and styleSeafoodFri, 10 Jun 2011 23:04:55 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/11/sandwich-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's pan bagnat: A Provençal classic that crams all the best things about summer eating into one great sarnie. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's pan bagnat: A Provençal classic that crams all the best things about summer eating into one great sarnie. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-06-10T23:04:55ZBrownie recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/04/brownie-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
There's a brownie suitable for every time of day, whether you're having it as a snack, or for pudding. Just make sure it's a proper one, though<p>A really good brownie is&nbsp;always appropriate. With a glass of cold milk or a cup of strong coffee, they make a&nbsp;darkly delicious punctuation point in even the grimmest afternoon, for sweet-toothed chocophiles of all ages. And&nbsp;served warm with fruit, ice-cream or&nbsp;sorbet, they're an easy, unstuffy way to end dinner.</p><p>But let's face it, there are some horrors out there, besmirching the good and happy name of "brownie". I'm not really talking about homemade ones – even the failures have their charms. I'm more ticked off with the commercial ones. They're so often a pretty joyless affair – dry, crumbly, cakey, with none of the melting seductiveness of the real thing. For me, brownie nirvana is a&nbsp;crackled, shiny top beneath which lies a rich, dense and chewy middle, verging on the underdone.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/04/brownie-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>BakingAmerican food and drinkCakeChocolateDessertSnacksCheeseFruitFood & drinkLife and styleFri, 03 Jun 2011 23:03:25 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/04/brownie-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's blondie with macerated strawberries: The principle's the same as for a normal brownie. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's blondie with macerated strawberries: The principle's the same as for a normal brownie. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-06-03T23:03:25ZPolenta recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/may/28/polenta-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
Yes, it's traditionally a winter food, but there's no reason you can't cook with polenta when the sun's out<p>Crusty old cooks like me&nbsp;sometimes get set&nbsp;in our ways, endlessly defaulting to&nbsp;old favourites – at least when we're off duty. Then, as if in some kitchen-based-midlife crisis, we suddenly go nuts for something we haven't cooked for ages. I'm having one of&nbsp;those jags right now, with polenta. In fact, I've been on a bit&nbsp;of&nbsp;a polenta bender.</p><p>I've enjoyed it since I learned to&nbsp;cook at the River Cafe almost a&nbsp;quarter of a century ago. (I know. Thank you. You're too kind.) But I&nbsp;often seem to forget how much I like it. So I've made a point of reminding myself – and enjoyed every minute of it. Of course, I love it in its purest form, well seasoned with a dab of butter and a melting cloud of parmesan. But it's hugely versatile and – a bonus – cheap. Traditionally, polenta is a winter food, but it makes good summer eating, too, as a pillowy base for simply cooked, emerald green vegetables straight from the garden. It also makes a nifty, crispy crust for fish. You can even stick slices of cooked set polenta on the barbecue. So this week, I'm sharing some of my favourite creamy, crunchy, corny treats with you.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/may/28/polenta-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>BakingBreakfastCheeseFishItalian food and drinkMain courseVegetarian food and drinkFood & drinkLife and styleSeafoodFri, 27 May 2011 23:03:28 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/may/28/polenta-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's polenta and asparagus tart: Tastes as good as it looks. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's polenta and asparagus tart: Tastes as good as it looks. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-05-27T23:03:28ZBacon recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/16/bacon-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
It's amazing how many dishes are improved by the addition of even just a little bit of salty, porky brilliance<p>The bacon sarnie, eh? Who doesn't love it? A&nbsp;few rashers sandwiched between pillowy-soft white bread with a splash of&nbsp;brown sauce or ketchup is the egalitarian, always-appropriate breakfast, lunch or anytime snack of&nbsp;choice for everyone from builders&nbsp;to bishops, students to secretaries of&nbsp;state. Even some of my vegetarian friends sigh nostalgically at the very thought.</p><p>It's such a shame, then, that this totemic treat, this purveyor of the porkily Proustian madeleine moment, is so often ruined by rubbish bacon. Introduce limp, insipid, <a href="http://www.elastoplast.co.uk/products.html" title="">Elastoplast-pink</a> rashers to&nbsp;heat, and after a few minutes your frying pan resembles nothing so much as a stagnant pond of fat, salty liquid and sinister, white goo. Not very appetising, is it? I expect more of my bacon, and I suspect you&nbsp;do, too. And, for that, you've got to start with the pig.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/16/bacon-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>BakingBritish food and drinkCheeseMain courseMeatSoupFood & drinkLife and styleFri, 15 Apr 2011 23:03:41 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/16/bacon-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's overnight home-cured bacon chops: Just add mash and wilted seasonal greens and you've got yourself a tasty traditional British supper. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's overnight home-cured bacon chops: Just add mash and wilted seasonal greens and you've got yourself a tasty traditional British supper. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-04-15T23:03:41ZSavoury cake recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/09/savoury-cake-recipes
Just because it's a cake, doesn't mean it has to be sweet – cheese, roasted veg, ham, olives and leftover meat can all be used to create a very tasty wedge indeed<p>You know how much I&nbsp;like a good cake. And&nbsp;if you don't know,&nbsp;well, you can imagine. I mean, who&nbsp;doesn't?</p><p>Trouble is, my esteemed River Cottage colleague <a href="http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/311675-pam-corbin-leads-the-preservation-society" title="">Pam "the Cake" (formerly "the Jam") Corbin</a> has pretty much cornered the current market, with her lovely new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cakes-River-Cottage-Handbook-Corbin/dp/1408808595" title="">Cakes</a> (Bloomsbury, £14.99). It's so jam-Pam-packed with delights that,&nbsp;with a hankering to share something cakey with you from my&nbsp;own repertoire yet running scared of the competition, I'm going&nbsp;to have to move into radical baking territory.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/09/savoury-cake-recipes">Continue reading...</a>BakingBritish food and drinkCheeseMain courseMeatSnacksStarterVegetarian food and drinkFood & drinkLife and styleCakeLeftoversFri, 08 Apr 2011 23:02:29 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/apr/09/savoury-cake-recipesPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's ham and olive cake: A great pre-dinner nibble. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's ham and olive cake: A great pre-dinner nibble. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-04-08T23:02:29ZSumac, tamarind and pomegranate recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstallhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/mar/19/sumac-tamarind-pomegranate-molasses-recipes
Pucker up, people, and add a thrilling dash of sourness to your cooking<p>Sour is a word with some contradictory baggage. Almost all its metaphorical outings are negative – sour-faced, sour puss, etc. But in the kitchen sour can be good and bad. Sour cream – yes, please (pass the blinis); sour milk – no, thanks (pass the sick bag). When sour is good, it's usually because it's intentional – and then it can be very good indeed.</p><p>The right kind of sour makes things taste brighter, cleaner and sharper – think of that squeeze of lemon over a piece of fish, or a splash of lime in a salsa; it zings the thing right up. But today I want to go way beyond the familiar tang of citrus. I want to talk about some sour things you may not have cooked with before.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/mar/19/sumac-tamarind-pomegranate-molasses-recipes">Continue reading...</a>African food and drinkBakingBreakfastCheeseMeatMain courseMiddle Eastern food and drinkSaladSnacksStarterSoupVegetarian food and drinkThai food and drinkFood & drinkLife and styleSat, 19 Mar 2011 00:02:49 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/mar/19/sumac-tamarind-pomegranate-molasses-recipesPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianSharp practice: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's hot and sour chicken soup packs a real punch. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianSharp practice: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's hot and sour chicken soup packs a real punch. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-03-19T00:02:49ZTinned food recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall | Food and drinkhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/26/tinned-food-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall
They're the unsung stars of the store cupboard, the culinary rearguard that are always ready to be called into&nbsp;action and save the day<p>It's easy to be sniffy about food in tins. We hide them in the cupboard like so many brightly labelled larder louts. Not for them the on-the-kitchen-counter decorative status of jars of fancy pulses, pasta shapes and bottles of posh oils. But sometimes tinned food will save our supper, particularly when we find ourselves slap-bang in the middle of the wretched hungry gap, when the roots, tubers and brassicas of winter are dwindling and it seems aeons until spring's leafy, juicy, sprightly bounty will make an appearance.</p><p>Things in tins have been around for more than 200 years, and we have Napoleon to thank for them. He realised that almost as many of his soldiers died from scurvy and malnutrition as at the hands of the&nbsp;enemy. Napoleon (he did say, "An army marches on its stomach," remember?) offered a 12,000-franc prize for anyone who could come up with a method of preserving food to feed his men. One <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Appert" title="">Nicolas Appert</a>, a&nbsp;confectioner and brewer, was determined to scoop the loot, so he invented a method of storing food in glass jars, sealing them with corks and heating them in water. He didn't know why it worked (Louis Pasteur didn't discover that harmful micro-organisms could be destroyed by heat until 1864), but it did and he pocketed the prize.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/26/tinned-food-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>British food and drinkBakingCheeseFishItalian food and drinkMain courseSaladScandinavian food and drinkSnacksStarterVegetarian food and drinkFood & drinkLife and styleSat, 26 Feb 2011 00:04:23 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/26/tinned-food-recipes-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianRibollita: This hearty winter soup is even ­better if made the day before you want to eat it. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianRibollita: This hearty winter soup is even ­better if made the day before you want to eat it. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-02-26T00:04:23ZPasta recipes | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall | Food and drinkhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/12/homemade-pasta-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall
Fresh, homemade pasta really isn't all that difficult. You don't even need a machine. All you need is time and a little patience, and you'll be eating the smoothest, silkiest pasta of your life<p>Let's face it, you might as well be in the kitchen. The biting cold&nbsp;and flint grey skies&nbsp;are not good for much – except maybe a&nbsp;10-minute constitutional to bring on a raging appetite for something savoury and comforting. Or perhaps motivate you to teach yourself a&nbsp;new skill from which you can reap the heartiest of rewards. If you've never made your own pasta before, perhaps now's the time to start.</p><p>I realise there are quite enough noisy chefs out there waving the Italian flag, and you really don't need me to join the olive oil-gargling, bunched fingertip-kissing, mamma mia-shouting throng. But I do make&nbsp;my own pasta once in a while. And whenever I do, I think, "I really should do this more often." So why not share the thrill?</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/12/homemade-pasta-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall">Continue reading...</a>PastaMeatCheeseItalian food and drinkMain courseFood & drinkLife and styleSat, 12 Feb 2011 00:02:43 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/12/homemade-pasta-recipes-fearnley-whittingstallPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHomemade tagliatellle with chicken livers: Pasta and sauce have to be ready at exactly the same time. Other than that, though, it's all a bit of a doddle. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianPhotograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHomemade tagliatellle with chicken livers: Pasta and sauce have to be ready at exactly the same time. Other than that, though, it's all a bit of a doddle. Photograph: Colin Campbell for the GuardianHugh Fearnley-Whittingstall2011-02-12T00:02:43Z